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Martingale Cycle #1
Sockpuppet
Twitter. Facebook. Whatsapp. Google Maps. Every day you share everything about yourself - where you go, what you eat, what you buy, what you think - online. Sometimes you do it on purpose. Usually you do it without even realizing it. At the end of the day, everything from your shoe-size to your credit limit is out there. Your greatest joys, your darkest moments. Your deepest secrets.
If someone wants to know everything about you, all they have to do is look.
But what happens when someone starts spilling state secrets? For politician Bethany Lehrer and programmer Danielle Farr, that's not just an interesting thought-experiment. An online celebrity called sic_girl has started telling the world too much about Bethany and Dani, from their jobs and lives to their most intimate secrets. There's just one problem: sic_girl doesn't exist. She's an construct, a program used to test code. Now Dani and Bethany must race against the clock to find out who's controlling sic_girl and why... before she destroys the privacy of everyone in the UK.
If someone wants to know everything about you, all they have to do is look.
But what happens when someone starts spilling state secrets? For politician Bethany Lehrer and programmer Danielle Farr, that's not just an interesting thought-experiment. An online celebrity called sic_girl has started telling the world too much about Bethany and Dani, from their jobs and lives to their most intimate secrets. There's just one problem: sic_girl doesn't exist. She's an construct, a program used to test code. Now Dani and Bethany must race against the clock to find out who's controlling sic_girl and why... before she destroys the privacy of everyone in the UK.
487 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2016
11 people are currently reading
992 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Blakstad
3 books33 followersMatthew writes pacy, character-driven fiction that explores the impact of technology on how we live and who we are. His first full-length novel, Sockpuppet, came out in May 2016. It is the first book in the Martingale Cycle, a series of stand-alone but interconnected novels that gravitate around a fictional computing pioneer and political radical called Elyse Martingale.
Matthew's first career was as a professional child actor. From the age of ten, he had roles in films and TV dramas including:
Hammer House of Horror
The Lost Boys (no, not the Kiefer Sutherland one!)
Young Sherlock Holmes
...as well as appearing on stage at theatres including London's Royal Court.
After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, he began a career in online communications. He now works in the public sector, helping people understand and manage money.
You can follow Matthew on Twitter at @mattblak or find out more at matthewblakstad.com.
Author photo: Paul Treacy
Matthew's first career was as a professional child actor. From the age of ten, he had roles in films and TV dramas including:
Hammer House of Horror
The Lost Boys (no, not the Kiefer Sutherland one!)
Young Sherlock Holmes
...as well as appearing on stage at theatres including London's Royal Court.
After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, he began a career in online communications. He now works in the public sector, helping people understand and manage money.
You can follow Matthew on Twitter at @mattblak or find out more at matthewblakstad.com.
Author photo: Paul Treacy
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
December 14, 2016
Geeky gorgeous shenanigans with a dark heart and a topical subject matter.
That is what I said on Goodreads at the moment I finished Sockpuppet and that is basically what you get. Sockpuppet is both fun and intuitive and bang on the money when it comes to playing on very real fears about privacy in the digital age. Nothing is sarosanct these days. If you have a mobile phone someone probably knows where you are. **puts tin foil hat on**
So that is the concept, then the author stomps all it and constructs an addictive, darkly humerous, very truthful and realistic story – designs his characters perfectly to allow them to shoot little darts of underlying worry into your thought processes – and spits you out the other side determined to never post anything on social media again ever. Then you go on Twitter obviously, to have a chat to all your virtual friends about it. Ah well. Needs must.
I loved Dani, she was incredible and brought most of the geeky gorgeous I referred to above. She is our way into the technical what not and explains it all throughout the narrative with a witty disgregard for the intelligence of others – just what you need when computer wizardry creates the heart of a story and you are a little technophobic (the fact that anyone ever actually gets to read this review is somewhat of a miracle when you take into account my genuine bafflement when it comes to these things)
Then you have Bethany, in a lot of ways your typical politician, determined to save her citizens programme (please don’t let David Cameron read this book for all our sakes) but how far she would be willing to go is an intriguing layer to this already intriguing tale. Add to these two a supporting cast, not all them them actual and a twisty turny story that includes giggly pigs (hey what book wouldn’t be improved by giggly pigs?) a lot of misdirection, classic storytelling and even a bit of a love story – you’ll be hooked, line and sinkered.
I adored it. Different and clever, fun and informative, genuinely surprising at times and with a terrifically insightful eye into current social issues. Thrilling, perfectly paced, character driven and thought provoking (and often very hilarious) this comes highly recommended from me.
That is what I said on Goodreads at the moment I finished Sockpuppet and that is basically what you get. Sockpuppet is both fun and intuitive and bang on the money when it comes to playing on very real fears about privacy in the digital age. Nothing is sarosanct these days. If you have a mobile phone someone probably knows where you are. **puts tin foil hat on**
So that is the concept, then the author stomps all it and constructs an addictive, darkly humerous, very truthful and realistic story – designs his characters perfectly to allow them to shoot little darts of underlying worry into your thought processes – and spits you out the other side determined to never post anything on social media again ever. Then you go on Twitter obviously, to have a chat to all your virtual friends about it. Ah well. Needs must.
I loved Dani, she was incredible and brought most of the geeky gorgeous I referred to above. She is our way into the technical what not and explains it all throughout the narrative with a witty disgregard for the intelligence of others – just what you need when computer wizardry creates the heart of a story and you are a little technophobic (the fact that anyone ever actually gets to read this review is somewhat of a miracle when you take into account my genuine bafflement when it comes to these things)
Then you have Bethany, in a lot of ways your typical politician, determined to save her citizens programme (please don’t let David Cameron read this book for all our sakes) but how far she would be willing to go is an intriguing layer to this already intriguing tale. Add to these two a supporting cast, not all them them actual and a twisty turny story that includes giggly pigs (hey what book wouldn’t be improved by giggly pigs?) a lot of misdirection, classic storytelling and even a bit of a love story – you’ll be hooked, line and sinkered.
I adored it. Different and clever, fun and informative, genuinely surprising at times and with a terrifically insightful eye into current social issues. Thrilling, perfectly paced, character driven and thought provoking (and often very hilarious) this comes highly recommended from me.
February 27, 2017
It was minister Bethany Lehrer’s job to oversea a new digital ID scheme set to be rolled out in the UK to every citizen. This unhackable, state of the art technology, along with Bethany and programmer Danielle (Dani) Farr, come under scrutiny when the test group start having their data stolen, and their web pages bring up dancing cartoon pigs, called ‘giggly piggly’.
News of the hack has quickly spread on social media, seemingly via the account of someone called ‘sic_girl’. Things however, become more complicated when it is revealed that sic_girl doesn’t actually exist. The account is a computer algorithm. Both Bethany and Dani’s careers are on the line. The pair need to find who is controlling sic_girl, and fast, before more classified information is shared with the world.
Sockpuppet is an original, smart, thrilling, book, set in the present day, and is bang up to date when it comes to modern day life. The book brings to the forefront just how much people use social media platforms, and also how quickly news travels via these platforms. It also makes you think about how whilst most people use it harmlessly, some use it for their own advantage, which can cause a vast amount of problems for others.
The book is filled with humour, and Dani has plenty of sarcasm to share, including some choice language. It has been expertly written and felt flawless, not surprising as the author has built a career in online communications.
The plot is scarily realistic, and is filled with strong characters, some complex, all enthralling. There are a lot of them, but I never found myself lost. There are also plenty of twists to keep you hooked.
I do feel that those who are not very computer savvy, or don’t know anything about social media may struggle with this book. For those that do, this book will grab your attention and hold you to the pages, eager to keep on reading. It may even make you step away from your computer for a while.
As the final chapter comes to an end, you will be left impatiently awaiting the next book in the series, Lucky Ghost, which is to be released in July 2017.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
News of the hack has quickly spread on social media, seemingly via the account of someone called ‘sic_girl’. Things however, become more complicated when it is revealed that sic_girl doesn’t actually exist. The account is a computer algorithm. Both Bethany and Dani’s careers are on the line. The pair need to find who is controlling sic_girl, and fast, before more classified information is shared with the world.
Sockpuppet is an original, smart, thrilling, book, set in the present day, and is bang up to date when it comes to modern day life. The book brings to the forefront just how much people use social media platforms, and also how quickly news travels via these platforms. It also makes you think about how whilst most people use it harmlessly, some use it for their own advantage, which can cause a vast amount of problems for others.
The book is filled with humour, and Dani has plenty of sarcasm to share, including some choice language. It has been expertly written and felt flawless, not surprising as the author has built a career in online communications.
The plot is scarily realistic, and is filled with strong characters, some complex, all enthralling. There are a lot of them, but I never found myself lost. There are also plenty of twists to keep you hooked.
I do feel that those who are not very computer savvy, or don’t know anything about social media may struggle with this book. For those that do, this book will grab your attention and hold you to the pages, eager to keep on reading. It may even make you step away from your computer for a while.
As the final chapter comes to an end, you will be left impatiently awaiting the next book in the series, Lucky Ghost, which is to be released in July 2017.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
January 31, 2017
Well, I’ll be damned! Sockpuppet took me on a thrilling reading journey. Very (very, very) current, humorous, rude and so darned realistic. Sockpuppet delivered geek to the max, a good number of twists, some moments where my jaw dropped, a good character set and authentic human relationships in the midst of technological miracles and meltdowns.
Sockpuppet gives you corporations (who are only after making a profit, right?), then there’s the Government who always swear they’re doing things for the benefit of the nation (ha-ha-hardy-ha!), we have the hackers or the IT geeks who are tirelessly fighting for freedom and all they want to do is write another long chunk of funky code and create something awesome. Mix media into this, some hacks, some leaks and you got yourself a sordid mess!
But wait… it’s not all… this book also deals out relationship dramas in spades.. don’t ask me how Blakstad managed to pull this all together into a coherent story but damn, did it work. We have cheating, sexually free-thinking individual(s) and someone who needs to admit to themselves their sexual preferences… during a big bloody mess, though, that shines a bright bloody spotlight on our characters. So, is it the best time to blow your supplier? To use your identity to log on to MeatSpace for some sexy talk even though you’re meant to lay low? As in, so low that you’re using a made up identity… Is it really the time to feel have a sexual identity crisis? But here’s the beauty of it when you look at the overall picture… Personal dramas don’t just stop- not so you can take a breather, and especially not because your professional life sucks donkey. You gotta spin all plates at once! I’m telling you. Sockpuppet has. it. all.
The writing in this book is fabulous… it’s the www talk (slang, pointless and brainless), it’s the PR talk (always politically correct), it’s the talk and thoughts of a deep-thinking human… I loved zero chapters. So, to end this review… read this book, by the way! it’s fantastic…here’s a quote I loved most!
How much do you pull each month after tax? A grand? Five? More?
Not bad, but you’re wrong. They pay you nothing. Unless you’re a plumber, a prostitute or paper boy, you never see cash. Your employer remits to your bank. Bank remits to bank. The bank dials down certain privileges on your employer’s account, and dials up yours. Nothing moves, nothing changes. Zero means nothing, a thousand means nothing, minus a million means nothing. Micro-transistors ratchet and the magnetic surface of distant hard drives rsutle. This has been the case so long we forget that money is a metaphor from an ancient marketplace.
The same thing’s happening to us: to our assets, our relationships, our souls. Transmitted by technology sufficiently advanced to be indistinguishable from reality. Held remotely. Owned.
Sockpuppet, dear book, you’re 100% right up my alley. Thank you for the satisfaction you offered me while I held you in my hands and read every line of you. Even though you look kind of ugly… like a pig… It’s not the looks that matter, right? You have a cracking personality and you and me, Sockpuppet, are gonna love each other a long time!
Sockpuppet gives you corporations (who are only after making a profit, right?), then there’s the Government who always swear they’re doing things for the benefit of the nation (ha-ha-hardy-ha!), we have the hackers or the IT geeks who are tirelessly fighting for freedom and all they want to do is write another long chunk of funky code and create something awesome. Mix media into this, some hacks, some leaks and you got yourself a sordid mess!
But wait… it’s not all… this book also deals out relationship dramas in spades.. don’t ask me how Blakstad managed to pull this all together into a coherent story but damn, did it work. We have cheating, sexually free-thinking individual(s) and someone who needs to admit to themselves their sexual preferences… during a big bloody mess, though, that shines a bright bloody spotlight on our characters. So, is it the best time to blow your supplier? To use your identity to log on to MeatSpace for some sexy talk even though you’re meant to lay low? As in, so low that you’re using a made up identity… Is it really the time to feel have a sexual identity crisis? But here’s the beauty of it when you look at the overall picture… Personal dramas don’t just stop- not so you can take a breather, and especially not because your professional life sucks donkey. You gotta spin all plates at once! I’m telling you. Sockpuppet has. it. all.
The writing in this book is fabulous… it’s the www talk (slang, pointless and brainless), it’s the PR talk (always politically correct), it’s the talk and thoughts of a deep-thinking human… I loved zero chapters. So, to end this review… read this book, by the way! it’s fantastic…here’s a quote I loved most!
How much do you pull each month after tax? A grand? Five? More?
Not bad, but you’re wrong. They pay you nothing. Unless you’re a plumber, a prostitute or paper boy, you never see cash. Your employer remits to your bank. Bank remits to bank. The bank dials down certain privileges on your employer’s account, and dials up yours. Nothing moves, nothing changes. Zero means nothing, a thousand means nothing, minus a million means nothing. Micro-transistors ratchet and the magnetic surface of distant hard drives rsutle. This has been the case so long we forget that money is a metaphor from an ancient marketplace.
The same thing’s happening to us: to our assets, our relationships, our souls. Transmitted by technology sufficiently advanced to be indistinguishable from reality. Held remotely. Owned.
Sockpuppet, dear book, you’re 100% right up my alley. Thank you for the satisfaction you offered me while I held you in my hands and read every line of you. Even though you look kind of ugly… like a pig… It’s not the looks that matter, right? You have a cracking personality and you and me, Sockpuppet, are gonna love each other a long time!
June 19, 2017
Sockpuppet introduces us to the computing icon, Elyse Martingale, and a digital world where her ideas attract a cult following that will shock the unsettling theme of online integrity to life, until it crackles with startling realism.
We often adopt a questionable nonchalance to how our online presence is stockpiled leaving behind a imprint of our life as we volunteer a little more of ourselves with every browsing session, online conversation or purchase, however private we think it is.
Here, hostility erupts between the government’s launch of a program called DigiCitz (Digital Citizen) which promotes the ideology that a secure online record of every person can exist, and those working to expose the flaws of its so-called unhackable system in order to protect the public by exposing its vulnerabilities with maximum impact.
The attack starts with virtual mudslinging at the minister responsible for the DigiCitz implementation. It originated on server running a social networking program called “Parley”, which hosts artificial personalities coded to auto-interact with real-life users with responses influenced by sourcing data via the internet.
This interaction is known as “proffering” and one particular “proffer” planted the seed of doubt that the system was not infallible. The problem being is this information came from sic_girl, a handle of one of the artificial personalities and no one can trace where “she” retrieved the cringingly confidential information which has been made very, very public.
There’s so much ingenuity to this story, it’s actually scary: why are selected personal attacks being belched into the ether now? And exactly how have the “Giggly Pigglies” invaded everyone’s home page with their familiar little dance, and is it to amuse or distract?
No doubt our reliance on technology makes it impossible for us to function without a presence on the internet in some capacity or other. But behind every wicked life-changing app is a Wizard of Oz who has the power to influence our lives with their creations.
If I’d thought I would be alienated by the obscure talk of hackers’ encryption and the snorefest of parliamentary humdrum, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The terminology is easily relatable, told through both credible and relevant narration, and its tension is snap-worthy – I consumed this addictive book in one deliriously awesome sitting, it was that good.
We often adopt a questionable nonchalance to how our online presence is stockpiled leaving behind a imprint of our life as we volunteer a little more of ourselves with every browsing session, online conversation or purchase, however private we think it is.
Here, hostility erupts between the government’s launch of a program called DigiCitz (Digital Citizen) which promotes the ideology that a secure online record of every person can exist, and those working to expose the flaws of its so-called unhackable system in order to protect the public by exposing its vulnerabilities with maximum impact.
The attack starts with virtual mudslinging at the minister responsible for the DigiCitz implementation. It originated on server running a social networking program called “Parley”, which hosts artificial personalities coded to auto-interact with real-life users with responses influenced by sourcing data via the internet.
This interaction is known as “proffering” and one particular “proffer” planted the seed of doubt that the system was not infallible. The problem being is this information came from sic_girl, a handle of one of the artificial personalities and no one can trace where “she” retrieved the cringingly confidential information which has been made very, very public.
There’s so much ingenuity to this story, it’s actually scary: why are selected personal attacks being belched into the ether now? And exactly how have the “Giggly Pigglies” invaded everyone’s home page with their familiar little dance, and is it to amuse or distract?
No doubt our reliance on technology makes it impossible for us to function without a presence on the internet in some capacity or other. But behind every wicked life-changing app is a Wizard of Oz who has the power to influence our lives with their creations.
If I’d thought I would be alienated by the obscure talk of hackers’ encryption and the snorefest of parliamentary humdrum, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The terminology is easily relatable, told through both credible and relevant narration, and its tension is snap-worthy – I consumed this addictive book in one deliriously awesome sitting, it was that good.
November 28, 2017
Would you use technology if it could track every aspect of your life and share it with the world?
This book definitely made me feel paranoid about what I share on the internet, even without realising I'm doing it. With a perfect mix of plot about British politics and the technology we use on a daily basis it creates a thrilling story about data hacking and the freedom of information.
From early on I found nearly all of the characters unlikable but with the sarcastic humour and the wit some of them I started to slowly warm to a few, mainly Dani and J-R.But with the many pot twists and choices from the other characters my opinion of them changed nearly every chapter which definitely is unusual for me.
The book was nowhere near perfect but there were some parts where I was pretty disturbed which is what I want from a thriller and I will picking up the companion 'Lucky Ghost' soon.
This book definitely made me feel paranoid about what I share on the internet, even without realising I'm doing it. With a perfect mix of plot about British politics and the technology we use on a daily basis it creates a thrilling story about data hacking and the freedom of information.
From early on I found nearly all of the characters unlikable but with the sarcastic humour and the wit some of them I started to slowly warm to a few, mainly Dani and J-R.But with the many pot twists and choices from the other characters my opinion of them changed nearly every chapter which definitely is unusual for me.
The book was nowhere near perfect but there were some parts where I was pretty disturbed which is what I want from a thriller and I will picking up the companion 'Lucky Ghost' soon.
December 29, 2019
The book was a let-down after having read Lucky Ghost, the second book in the series. So if you didn't like Sockpuppet or if you did, I recommend Lucky Ghost.
This one looks at digital media siphoning off all kinds of personal data and selling it to - we're not even sure whom or where. A British government department wants to set up a DigiCitizen programme and expects after the trial run, to compulsorily enrol everyone. But the trial group have got dancing pigs manifesting on their screens, indicating a Trojan has got in to the supposedly unhackable setup. The online persona spouting off about hacking it, turns out to be a bot which was programmed by a female computer analyst to suck in and regurgitate content from other sites. Protestors don't want their data sold. Cue travels around London, mostly offices I'm sorry to say, and some anonymous streets and clubs. Nice touch is a building located at 404 The City.
Okay, the issues I found were many, which reduced the stars I can give the book although I like the message, much of the theme and the fictitious Elyse Martingale. (Read more about her in book 2.) Dani Farr is the computer programmer, who has a distinguishing mark like the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, except that hers is a birthmark on her face and neck. Why was that needed? it's irrelevant in the story. Why not make her (or anyone) a person of a minority culture? Dani doesn't use TOR or a VPN once although she's so fond of privacy, and knowing, as she must, that cookies and other trackers latch on to a computer's MAC address, she still contaminates a new machine with a new identity and new online ID by logging in to an old site with her old ID, while trying to keep two completely separate personas. No she wouldn't.
Dani lets herself down and destroys any sympathy from me by turning into an online porn addict, the weirder the better. She also swears far too often and too foully to be pleasant reading. She isn't really female - she has sex with someone new without having to think about when her period is due (might be tonight) or what kind of birth control she's using. (In Lucky Ghost, the central character is a gay lady.) In the middle of the story, knowing she's being searched for by police and computer firms, Dani goes out clubbing and gets stoned and drunk. She must have forgotten that London is the most surveilled city in the world as she hasn't hidden her face or distinguishing mark on the way.
Why do all the people in this book use Apple laptops? Because really, they don't.
The minister sleeping with a business supplier to government is not all that likely while she has small children and a supportive husband. More likely for a man to carry on like this. She would have far too much to lose. But what I mostly dislike about this item is that the author is telling us at the end that a woman belongs in the home, not in government.
Why do all the people who want online privacy have no cogent point to make? Why not even suggest paying for apps or access? Why do they all become instantly converted to the other way of seeing things when they are shown their own digital footprints? Many people's lives are so miserable, grinding or boring that they would gladly miss a lot of it, rather than be given the opportunity to relive the time hour by hour with the aid of a mobile.
Someone dies, and nothing happens. What was the point?
Too many bots spoil the broth. We could have done with two or three of them. More experienced authors will often combine various secondary characters into facets of a single character. This could also have been done with some of the characters, who were often bland or with one distinguishing factor - fat/ short/ gay/ handsome. Near the end a message came in from someone called Gray and I had completely forgotten who that was. Make your characters distinct and unforgettable. Remind us what they do.
I will stop because some readers will have a good time with the book despite these issues, and nobody should be deterred from reading the much better (and more heavily SF) Lucky Ghost.
I read this book from the RDS Library. This is an unbiased review.
This one looks at digital media siphoning off all kinds of personal data and selling it to - we're not even sure whom or where. A British government department wants to set up a DigiCitizen programme and expects after the trial run, to compulsorily enrol everyone. But the trial group have got dancing pigs manifesting on their screens, indicating a Trojan has got in to the supposedly unhackable setup. The online persona spouting off about hacking it, turns out to be a bot which was programmed by a female computer analyst to suck in and regurgitate content from other sites. Protestors don't want their data sold. Cue travels around London, mostly offices I'm sorry to say, and some anonymous streets and clubs. Nice touch is a building located at 404 The City.
Okay, the issues I found were many, which reduced the stars I can give the book although I like the message, much of the theme and the fictitious Elyse Martingale. (Read more about her in book 2.) Dani Farr is the computer programmer, who has a distinguishing mark like the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, except that hers is a birthmark on her face and neck. Why was that needed? it's irrelevant in the story. Why not make her (or anyone) a person of a minority culture? Dani doesn't use TOR or a VPN once although she's so fond of privacy, and knowing, as she must, that cookies and other trackers latch on to a computer's MAC address, she still contaminates a new machine with a new identity and new online ID by logging in to an old site with her old ID, while trying to keep two completely separate personas. No she wouldn't.
Dani lets herself down and destroys any sympathy from me by turning into an online porn addict, the weirder the better. She also swears far too often and too foully to be pleasant reading. She isn't really female - she has sex with someone new without having to think about when her period is due (might be tonight) or what kind of birth control she's using. (In Lucky Ghost, the central character is a gay lady.) In the middle of the story, knowing she's being searched for by police and computer firms, Dani goes out clubbing and gets stoned and drunk. She must have forgotten that London is the most surveilled city in the world as she hasn't hidden her face or distinguishing mark on the way.
Why do all the people in this book use Apple laptops? Because really, they don't.
The minister sleeping with a business supplier to government is not all that likely while she has small children and a supportive husband. More likely for a man to carry on like this. She would have far too much to lose. But what I mostly dislike about this item is that the author is telling us at the end that a woman belongs in the home, not in government.
Why do all the people who want online privacy have no cogent point to make? Why not even suggest paying for apps or access? Why do they all become instantly converted to the other way of seeing things when they are shown their own digital footprints? Many people's lives are so miserable, grinding or boring that they would gladly miss a lot of it, rather than be given the opportunity to relive the time hour by hour with the aid of a mobile.
Someone dies, and nothing happens. What was the point?
Too many bots spoil the broth. We could have done with two or three of them. More experienced authors will often combine various secondary characters into facets of a single character. This could also have been done with some of the characters, who were often bland or with one distinguishing factor - fat/ short/ gay/ handsome. Near the end a message came in from someone called Gray and I had completely forgotten who that was. Make your characters distinct and unforgettable. Remind us what they do.
I will stop because some readers will have a good time with the book despite these issues, and nobody should be deterred from reading the much better (and more heavily SF) Lucky Ghost.
I read this book from the RDS Library. This is an unbiased review.
March 11, 2017
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Nothing is private. No one is safe. Matthew Blakstad explores the dangers of the ever-increasing digital world in his fictional thriller Sockpuppet. Social media has moved on from its current status with fake Internet personalities entertaining users with their ability to regurgitate data posted elsewhere online. However, there is unrest about the developing ID scheme that government minister, Bethany Lehrer is proposing. Despite claims that the system is safe, hackers have managed to infiltrate and extract important information.
What is more baffling is that sic_girl, a robot-like internet personality, has been posting updates about Bethany Lehrer and revealing unsettling truths. Dani Farr is instantly the prime suspect; as the creator of sic_girl and savoir-faire with coding, she is the most likely to be able to achieve such an infamous feat. However, a vicious cyber attack proves Dani’s innocence, but leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
As more secrets are spilled online, Dani tries to figure out who is responsible for the licentious acts, whilst Bethany’s life and career is rapidly torn apart. Prone to histrionics, Dani does not help herself, causing more problems. Not only is her identity unsafe online, she cannot trust people in ‘real’ life either.
Sockpuppet describes an event that may seem rather extreme to the reader. Blakstad paints a picture of a world where every little detail of every person is recorded online. Emails are never completely private, your location never secret – and one hates to think about the security of your bank details. The scary thing is, this narrative is probably not all that far from the truth. Have you noticed how the Internet always advertises products and companies related to webpages you have viewed, or that it knows your whereabouts, telling you of things happening nearby? We may find these things helpful, but how safe are they really?
As a story, Sockpuppet is an interesting mystery, a contemporary whodunit, which instead of involving murder entails the destruction of online lives. With references to computer jargon that only those in the know will fully comprehend, it is impossible to pinpoint whom the culprits are, and distinguish between the good and the evil.
What spoils the novel is the dire use of expletives and the unnecessary sexual content. Although this is essentially the make-up of Dani’s character, and leads to her downfall, it does not make for pleasant reading. It detracts from the storyline and, apart from sick-minded individuals, is impossible to enjoy.
It is unfortunate that the choice of language demeans the overall book, because it had the potential to be an important, eye-opening story. I hope that those who chose to read Sockpuppet understand the message the author is trying to express, and begin to think more carefully about their online actions, and question all the supposedly innovative digital creations – they are not as safe as they appear.
Nothing is private. No one is safe. Matthew Blakstad explores the dangers of the ever-increasing digital world in his fictional thriller Sockpuppet. Social media has moved on from its current status with fake Internet personalities entertaining users with their ability to regurgitate data posted elsewhere online. However, there is unrest about the developing ID scheme that government minister, Bethany Lehrer is proposing. Despite claims that the system is safe, hackers have managed to infiltrate and extract important information.
What is more baffling is that sic_girl, a robot-like internet personality, has been posting updates about Bethany Lehrer and revealing unsettling truths. Dani Farr is instantly the prime suspect; as the creator of sic_girl and savoir-faire with coding, she is the most likely to be able to achieve such an infamous feat. However, a vicious cyber attack proves Dani’s innocence, but leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
As more secrets are spilled online, Dani tries to figure out who is responsible for the licentious acts, whilst Bethany’s life and career is rapidly torn apart. Prone to histrionics, Dani does not help herself, causing more problems. Not only is her identity unsafe online, she cannot trust people in ‘real’ life either.
Sockpuppet describes an event that may seem rather extreme to the reader. Blakstad paints a picture of a world where every little detail of every person is recorded online. Emails are never completely private, your location never secret – and one hates to think about the security of your bank details. The scary thing is, this narrative is probably not all that far from the truth. Have you noticed how the Internet always advertises products and companies related to webpages you have viewed, or that it knows your whereabouts, telling you of things happening nearby? We may find these things helpful, but how safe are they really?
As a story, Sockpuppet is an interesting mystery, a contemporary whodunit, which instead of involving murder entails the destruction of online lives. With references to computer jargon that only those in the know will fully comprehend, it is impossible to pinpoint whom the culprits are, and distinguish between the good and the evil.
What spoils the novel is the dire use of expletives and the unnecessary sexual content. Although this is essentially the make-up of Dani’s character, and leads to her downfall, it does not make for pleasant reading. It detracts from the storyline and, apart from sick-minded individuals, is impossible to enjoy.
It is unfortunate that the choice of language demeans the overall book, because it had the potential to be an important, eye-opening story. I hope that those who chose to read Sockpuppet understand the message the author is trying to express, and begin to think more carefully about their online actions, and question all the supposedly innovative digital creations – they are not as safe as they appear.
February 11, 2018
This techno-thriller never fails to deliver. The characters are well-written, relatable and memorable. Once you've finished reading it, you'll forever have the image of those unsettling pig masks burned into your mind.
It holds an important message about the dangers of what we do online. I found this book to be haunting because of how realistic it is. With most horror novels, you can assure yourself that it'd be extremely unikely to run into the terrors that lie within the pages, but with Sockpuppet, it's different. It's one of those books, like Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four, that contains frightening concepts that in the future, may just turn out to be real.
It holds an important message about the dangers of what we do online. I found this book to be haunting because of how realistic it is. With most horror novels, you can assure yourself that it'd be extremely unikely to run into the terrors that lie within the pages, but with Sockpuppet, it's different. It's one of those books, like Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four, that contains frightening concepts that in the future, may just turn out to be real.
August 25, 2016
Startling, gut-punch of a book. Beautifully written, with some killer ideas. Not quite perfect, thanks to a mangled ending and occasional confusion over who is speaking in any given dialogue, but this is still well worth reading. Nothing else quite like it out there.
November 10, 2017
I've seen a number of books described as geeklit over the last few years, but Sockpuppet is the first that truly delivers on all levels. An intelligent, well-crafted, superbly plotted thriller that races along, its feet are firmly and very realistically set in the digital world.
Dani, the main protagonist is a smart spiky character - a genius coder who created Parley, the latest thing in social media. A government department is trying to set up a digital ID for all citizens, aided and abetted by Mondan - a large tech company. Would you trust either of those with all the data about your life? Mondan also owns Parley and when messages start being proffered on Parley about the trial DigiCitz data being hacked and armed police show up at the office door in the middle of the night, Dani gets sucked into all manner of trouble.
Add to the mix a shadowy Anonymous-style bunch of hacktivists, industrial sabotage, intellectual property theft, doxing, flash mobs, some cartoon pigs and any number of t-shirts with slogans like "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" and you have an intense, absorbing and timely story I struggled to put down.
I can't wait to read the next instalment in the trilogy (Lucky Ghost) and I'm very much looking forward to the third which apparently will turn the clock back to post-war Britain and Elyse Martingale's story. She is an overarching presence in this novel - her ideas about privacy and data were far ahead of their time and she is a bit of a cult figure amongst the digital generation. In Matthew Blakstad's words Elyse is "Doyenne of Britain’s post-war computing revolution. Political radical and scourge of the state." https://readerdad.co.uk/2017/07/29/gu...
Highly recommended. Unless you think a sockpuppet is actually a puppet made out of a sock. Then it might just blow your tiny mind.
Dani, the main protagonist is a smart spiky character - a genius coder who created Parley, the latest thing in social media. A government department is trying to set up a digital ID for all citizens, aided and abetted by Mondan - a large tech company. Would you trust either of those with all the data about your life? Mondan also owns Parley and when messages start being proffered on Parley about the trial DigiCitz data being hacked and armed police show up at the office door in the middle of the night, Dani gets sucked into all manner of trouble.
Add to the mix a shadowy Anonymous-style bunch of hacktivists, industrial sabotage, intellectual property theft, doxing, flash mobs, some cartoon pigs and any number of t-shirts with slogans like "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" and you have an intense, absorbing and timely story I struggled to put down.
I can't wait to read the next instalment in the trilogy (Lucky Ghost) and I'm very much looking forward to the third which apparently will turn the clock back to post-war Britain and Elyse Martingale's story. She is an overarching presence in this novel - her ideas about privacy and data were far ahead of their time and she is a bit of a cult figure amongst the digital generation. In Matthew Blakstad's words Elyse is "Doyenne of Britain’s post-war computing revolution. Political radical and scourge of the state." https://readerdad.co.uk/2017/07/29/gu...
Highly recommended. Unless you think a sockpuppet is actually a puppet made out of a sock. Then it might just blow your tiny mind.
February 22, 2017
Matthew Blakstad is most definitely a talent to watch. His debut novel Sockpuppet is a painfully timely tech thriller, but this very, very smart book wears its big themes - data privacy, hactivism, internet culture, political corruption - and deep research impressively lightly. Sockpuppet makes you think, and think hard, about the direction our digital world is taking us in, but it is first and foremost a thrilling story that will keep you up all night. There's nothing quite like it out there, but if you're into pigeonholes then fans of William Gibson and Armando Iannucci will appreciate Blakstad's fast-paced, confident, modern, urban voice, with its delicious edge of satire. This is the kind of novel you end up recommending to all your friends, so get in there early - it's the first in a series that's bound to become a rapid word of mouth success.
February 6, 2021
I’d give this a 2.5 stars
The story itself was interesting, had a lot of potential for discussion of privacy and freedom of information etc. On the mystery level it was also decent. But the characters were two dimensional (with the possible exception of J-R near the very end). I was not invested in the plot because I didn’t care about any of them.
Also I have a personal hatred for internet slang and ‘chat speak’ (ew) used in books. I have never encountered one that felt credible and didn’t make me cringe, and sadly Sock puppet was no exception to this theme. It always feels forced or like some lovecraftian horror dredged up from the depths of 2012 tumblr... OwO
The story itself was interesting, had a lot of potential for discussion of privacy and freedom of information etc. On the mystery level it was also decent. But the characters were two dimensional (with the possible exception of J-R near the very end). I was not invested in the plot because I didn’t care about any of them.
Also I have a personal hatred for internet slang and ‘chat speak’ (ew) used in books. I have never encountered one that felt credible and didn’t make me cringe, and sadly Sock puppet was no exception to this theme. It always feels forced or like some lovecraftian horror dredged up from the depths of 2012 tumblr... OwO
March 5, 2017
Sockpuppet is very futuristic and takes you to the darkest realms of our online society, Although it's scary to think that some of the things that are mentioned in this book actually happen now! It concerns themes of privacy and "big brother" surveillance by the state. I did have to take some time to get used to the way that the book was laid out with different dialogue, So it took me longer than expected to get through it, But once I had got used to that, I found this book amusing and very realistic!
October 24, 2016
Matthew Blakstad obviously knows his stuff. A brief glimpse at his profile shows that he has qualifications in maths and has worked in online communications. This thriller isn't just a clever page turner, it's highly plausible and increasingly believable.
Dani Farr lives in an online world. She's created an online presence called sic_girl that shows intelligence and learning. It's all fun and showing off, until sic_girl starts getting herself involved in politics and out of Dani's control....
Blakstad plays on fears already present in our society - Big Brother; privacy; hacking; identity hacks. It's also possible Blakstad understands politics and spin. This book has more than just data and tech wizardry - it's a well crafted study in politics and spin. Even more plausible than the fact that privacy is vulnerable is the notion that politicians are out of their depth when it comes to modern life and are at the mercy of advisors, reliant on their explanations. It takes little imagination to believe that politicians may believe all the hype they read in a paper and launch the next great thing, only to be undone quite quickly with their own trust and naivete.
It's not just the plausibility and excitement of this book that should make it a hit, it's the fact that it avoids all other obvious thriller cliches. Violence and sex are present, but not graphically illustrated as if everyone is a trained assassin or hot porn star lover behind their quiet exterior. Those scenes are themselves believable, real and show a vulnerability in the characters.
It's the characters that show the final breath of fresh air in a thriller - the strongest and most interesting characters are all female. Jonquil, Beth and Dani herself are complex characters, all quite different and not subject to fitting in with the regular notion of lead females in thrillers. All their vulnerabilities are clearly played out, it's refreshing to recognise lead female characters that actually resemble people one might meet in real life.
The copy I received was an uncorrected proof for review, won from Goodreads. The hardback release deserves great plaudits. And I'm not just saying that because I think Blakstad will post all my secrets if I say otherwise.
Dani Farr lives in an online world. She's created an online presence called sic_girl that shows intelligence and learning. It's all fun and showing off, until sic_girl starts getting herself involved in politics and out of Dani's control....
Blakstad plays on fears already present in our society - Big Brother; privacy; hacking; identity hacks. It's also possible Blakstad understands politics and spin. This book has more than just data and tech wizardry - it's a well crafted study in politics and spin. Even more plausible than the fact that privacy is vulnerable is the notion that politicians are out of their depth when it comes to modern life and are at the mercy of advisors, reliant on their explanations. It takes little imagination to believe that politicians may believe all the hype they read in a paper and launch the next great thing, only to be undone quite quickly with their own trust and naivete.
It's not just the plausibility and excitement of this book that should make it a hit, it's the fact that it avoids all other obvious thriller cliches. Violence and sex are present, but not graphically illustrated as if everyone is a trained assassin or hot porn star lover behind their quiet exterior. Those scenes are themselves believable, real and show a vulnerability in the characters.
It's the characters that show the final breath of fresh air in a thriller - the strongest and most interesting characters are all female. Jonquil, Beth and Dani herself are complex characters, all quite different and not subject to fitting in with the regular notion of lead females in thrillers. All their vulnerabilities are clearly played out, it's refreshing to recognise lead female characters that actually resemble people one might meet in real life.
The copy I received was an uncorrected proof for review, won from Goodreads. The hardback release deserves great plaudits. And I'm not just saying that because I think Blakstad will post all my secrets if I say otherwise.
February 16, 2017
Sockpuppet is a cleverly plotted, highly believable and thoroughly gripping tale of the dangers that might await society as technology takes over more and more aspects of our lives, eroding freedoms and personal privacy in the process. Not being technologically minded, I found some of the details of the systems and interfaces a little confusing but this was more than made up for by the complex interactions of a brilliant cast of flawed, damaged characters. There are no real heroes in this novel although one cannot help but root for certain people as they try to kick back against the machine and the unforeseen consequences of technology on their lives. A really impressive debut and I look forward to reading the others in the series.
August 19, 2017
Starts very well with some excellent ideas but about a quarter of the way in it becomes tedious.
Several problems. Very, very two-dimensional characters. So wooden that you could pile all the characters up and have a great bonfire.
Also, the techie aspects of this book are very problematic. Much of the technical references would baffle the casual reader, whereas more knowledgeable readers will find many of the mistakes and omissions laughable. There seems to be no reference anywhere to the use of Linux, which is, of course, the go-to platform for pen-testing.
One is also expected to suspend one's disbelief just a little too far. For example, a computer genius takes a clean computer and uses it with a new identity that has carefully been set up taking many months and much trouble. She is very careful where she logs on from and cautiously uses the new identity to continue her investigations. Then within less than 12 hours of being given this new identity and buying a clean computer, she logs onto a website using her real identity, thus linking the two identities. Why? For some online sex talk! (Yes, she uses her real identity for the sex talk). This is absolutely ridiculous and made me want to shout at the book, though to be honest, you care so very little about any of the characters that you can't be bothered to.
Oh, and this computer genius who is on the run and covering up her identity doesn't do really, really basic things like monitor the internet traffic on her laptop so is unaware of the worm (that she inadvertently installed) that is reporting back her activities.
Oh, and none of these super tech savvy characters has ever heard of TOR or uses it or a VPN.
Several problems. Very, very two-dimensional characters. So wooden that you could pile all the characters up and have a great bonfire.
Also, the techie aspects of this book are very problematic. Much of the technical references would baffle the casual reader, whereas more knowledgeable readers will find many of the mistakes and omissions laughable. There seems to be no reference anywhere to the use of Linux, which is, of course, the go-to platform for pen-testing.
One is also expected to suspend one's disbelief just a little too far. For example, a computer genius takes a clean computer and uses it with a new identity that has carefully been set up taking many months and much trouble. She is very careful where she logs on from and cautiously uses the new identity to continue her investigations. Then within less than 12 hours of being given this new identity and buying a clean computer, she logs onto a website using her real identity, thus linking the two identities. Why? For some online sex talk! (Yes, she uses her real identity for the sex talk). This is absolutely ridiculous and made me want to shout at the book, though to be honest, you care so very little about any of the characters that you can't be bothered to.
Oh, and this computer genius who is on the run and covering up her identity doesn't do really, really basic things like monitor the internet traffic on her laptop so is unaware of the worm (that she inadvertently installed) that is reporting back her activities.
Oh, and none of these super tech savvy characters has ever heard of TOR or uses it or a VPN.
April 13, 2016
THE THICK OF IT as imagined by Neal Stephenson. An absolute pleasure. Full review soon on readerdad.co.uk.
July 8, 2020
Firstly, I was given this book by goodreads in a giveaway (quite a while ago but only just got around to reading it oops) in return for a review but all opinions and thoughts are my own.
I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while. Blakstad has done a brilliant job on writing an exciting story with some really well written characters. Although I didn't particularly like Dani as a person, I thought she was really well written. For the first half of the book I managed to keep a good pace with the technological and political talk, neither are my forte, but I lost it in the second half - a big contribution as to why I'll still be thinking about this book is that, although I enjoyed it, I don't think I entirely understood it. I'm still not quite sure how Parley worked with the formatting on the page in 《》brackets, and I got easily confused with all of the names of the companies like Mondan and Terrasoft and lost in where exaclty the gigglie pigglies came into things... and I don't think I understood Perce's intentions in the end... also am I being dumb but happened to Colin saying he did the hack?
Just a couple more points that i wanted to make but don't really know where to put them:
1. I it was quite funny thay everything in the book seemed to be technologically up to date except for everyone still having Blackberrys for some reason? I'm guessing this is probably to do with when the author wrote it but I'm saying this is odd based off the publication date.
2. One reaaaallllly small thing in the book, but I loved it - during Bethany's resignation speech she mentions her weight - 10 and half stone. Finally!! A woman that is a normal weight!! In so mnay books and films women seem to get stuck in a generic 110 pounds which isn't a healthy weight for most women, and can be triggering for ED suffers but this was really nice to see a woman just being a normal weight.
3. I only gave this 3 stars because of my confusion but despite that, I still really liked it. I think someone who is a bit more technologically and politcally aware, and who has a better attention span than me would get along with it a lot better. I look forward to reading his other books.
I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while. Blakstad has done a brilliant job on writing an exciting story with some really well written characters. Although I didn't particularly like Dani as a person, I thought she was really well written. For the first half of the book I managed to keep a good pace with the technological and political talk, neither are my forte, but I lost it in the second half - a big contribution as to why I'll still be thinking about this book is that, although I enjoyed it, I don't think I entirely understood it. I'm still not quite sure how Parley worked with the formatting on the page in 《》brackets, and I got easily confused with all of the names of the companies like Mondan and Terrasoft and lost in where exaclty the gigglie pigglies came into things... and I don't think I understood Perce's intentions in the end... also am I being dumb but happened to Colin saying he did the hack?
Just a couple more points that i wanted to make but don't really know where to put them:
1. I it was quite funny thay everything in the book seemed to be technologically up to date except for everyone still having Blackberrys for some reason? I'm guessing this is probably to do with when the author wrote it but I'm saying this is odd based off the publication date.
2. One reaaaallllly small thing in the book, but I loved it - during Bethany's resignation speech she mentions her weight - 10 and half stone. Finally!! A woman that is a normal weight!! In so mnay books and films women seem to get stuck in a generic 110 pounds which isn't a healthy weight for most women, and can be triggering for ED suffers but this was really nice to see a woman just being a normal weight.
3. I only gave this 3 stars because of my confusion but despite that, I still really liked it. I think someone who is a bit more technologically and politcally aware, and who has a better attention span than me would get along with it a lot better. I look forward to reading his other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2017
Sockpuppet is an impressive thought-provoking debut.
This modern day whodunnit is based around a fictional social media platform called Parley (which I assumed is similar to Twitter). State secrets, and personal secrets, are being deliberately revealed by an online bot called sic_girl. It's clear that someone is on a mission to create havoc, but who and why?
Matt Blakstad has created a page-turning dark conspiracy thriller, based on acute observations of a digital society governed by online activity, political ambition and instant communication. There's plenty of computer jargon (and I have to admit it took me a while to get my head round some of it), making this a perfect thriller for computer geeks!
The plot is fast paced, ambitious and multilayered, with various complex underlying themes. But ultimately, reading Sockpuppet taught me two important things ...
1. Whatever you do online, remember that somewhere, or rather everywhere, someone is watching your every move.
2. Always check, double-check and triple-check the terms and conditions before you proceed with ANYTHING!
The recent & possibly ongoing NHS malware attack proves how relevant Sockpuppet is to modern society - this thriller is a warning to us all.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
This modern day whodunnit is based around a fictional social media platform called Parley (which I assumed is similar to Twitter). State secrets, and personal secrets, are being deliberately revealed by an online bot called sic_girl. It's clear that someone is on a mission to create havoc, but who and why?
Matt Blakstad has created a page-turning dark conspiracy thriller, based on acute observations of a digital society governed by online activity, political ambition and instant communication. There's plenty of computer jargon (and I have to admit it took me a while to get my head round some of it), making this a perfect thriller for computer geeks!
The plot is fast paced, ambitious and multilayered, with various complex underlying themes. But ultimately, reading Sockpuppet taught me two important things ...
1. Whatever you do online, remember that somewhere, or rather everywhere, someone is watching your every move.
2. Always check, double-check and triple-check the terms and conditions before you proceed with ANYTHING!
The recent & possibly ongoing NHS malware attack proves how relevant Sockpuppet is to modern society - this thriller is a warning to us all.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
January 4, 2018
After such an amazing first half of the book I was certain this would get 5 stars, so what went wrong?
Sockpuppet is set an alternative universe similar to ours but a new government scheme introduces online citizenship where your online activity is monitored, however after a hack alot of peoples information is exposed and causes a crisis.
This book is very hit and miss in almost every area characters vary from being excellent such as Dani and JR to being boring cliches like Leo. The book is broken into mini chapters so is an easy read but this also derails some of the action from time to time.
Indeed the book is very Black Mirror-esq and I could imagine this being an episode but too me it isnt as dark as that. The book kind of hits its height at the first major event that the online personas build too but after that the story gets a little bit silly and in all honesty not very intersting.
This book was abit of a let down after 200 odd pages of pure excellence it just kind of disentergrates into abit of a bland story. I will however give this author another go as he does have alot of potential and I do highly recommend people give this a go.
Sockpuppet is set an alternative universe similar to ours but a new government scheme introduces online citizenship where your online activity is monitored, however after a hack alot of peoples information is exposed and causes a crisis.
This book is very hit and miss in almost every area characters vary from being excellent such as Dani and JR to being boring cliches like Leo. The book is broken into mini chapters so is an easy read but this also derails some of the action from time to time.
Indeed the book is very Black Mirror-esq and I could imagine this being an episode but too me it isnt as dark as that. The book kind of hits its height at the first major event that the online personas build too but after that the story gets a little bit silly and in all honesty not very intersting.
This book was abit of a let down after 200 odd pages of pure excellence it just kind of disentergrates into abit of a bland story. I will however give this author another go as he does have alot of potential and I do highly recommend people give this a go.
August 1, 2017
I did enjoy reading this book, as it deals with the concept of personal privacy it terms of the internet. A concept that I personally find fascinating.
However the way in which the chapters were divided made it, sometimes, difficult to follow. First it is broken down into days of the week, and then within each day there is a variety of chapters which constantly switch the point of view. These chapters also are not particularly long, some only being two pages in length. With the constant change in the point of view often as I was starting to get really into the plot and characters it would be the end of the chapter and a different point of view for the next. This made it hard to remember certain characters and also difficult to get connected to them.
Putting this aside I did really enjoy the Sockpuppet, and would recommend it to those interested in the internet and all that surrounds it.
However the way in which the chapters were divided made it, sometimes, difficult to follow. First it is broken down into days of the week, and then within each day there is a variety of chapters which constantly switch the point of view. These chapters also are not particularly long, some only being two pages in length. With the constant change in the point of view often as I was starting to get really into the plot and characters it would be the end of the chapter and a different point of view for the next. This made it hard to remember certain characters and also difficult to get connected to them.
Putting this aside I did really enjoy the Sockpuppet, and would recommend it to those interested in the internet and all that surrounds it.
February 25, 2021
Well this book is strange. Its very geeky and lots of I.T speak. So it possibly confused me quiet a bit.
Not sure on the link to 'black mirror' but I expected it to mess with my head more than it actually did.
For me this book was more interesting and fast paced towards the final quarter of the book. It took a while to get to the point of, okay I want to understand all this and work out their final move.
An interesting book and very good concept. It does get you thinking about the role computers, internet and such have in our world and our lives. How much do they really know about each of us and who owns it?
Not sure on the link to 'black mirror' but I expected it to mess with my head more than it actually did.
For me this book was more interesting and fast paced towards the final quarter of the book. It took a while to get to the point of, okay I want to understand all this and work out their final move.
An interesting book and very good concept. It does get you thinking about the role computers, internet and such have in our world and our lives. How much do they really know about each of us and who owns it?
June 1, 2017
Having worked for many years in government digital communications, like Matthew, I know that he has perfectly nailed the febrile, chaotic intersection between technology and politics in his thrilling, twisty, timely book. The characters feel real, the technology plausible, the scenario inevitable. Can't recommend it enough. The prequel novella, Fallen Angel, is also very good indeed, and worth reading first.
Disclaimer: we share an editor/publisher, but no nepotism here - if I hadn't loved this book to bits, I would have just maintained a gnomic silence.
Disclaimer: we share an editor/publisher, but no nepotism here - if I hadn't loved this book to bits, I would have just maintained a gnomic silence.
November 11, 2018
There's much to like in this very contemporary book. It's hard to find a good technological thriller that non-tech people like me can understand, but this one mainly delivered. The exploration of privacy and corporate power are extremely relevant.
I'm not sure if the book lost steam towards the end or if it was my fault as I had to put it aside for a long time as I was very busy, but I couldn't get back into it and ended up abandoning it with two thirds to go. Might give it another whirl one day. 3 stars for the first two thirds.
I'm not sure if the book lost steam towards the end or if it was my fault as I had to put it aside for a long time as I was very busy, but I couldn't get back into it and ended up abandoning it with two thirds to go. Might give it another whirl one day. 3 stars for the first two thirds.
December 9, 2017
Goodreads Giveaways Winner - thank you!
Interesting storyline and it definitely made me think about my own digital identity and how much information I share at the drop of a hat. Thought provoking and worrying with a cast of characters that rang true and were engaging in spite of the fact that they were difficult to like.
Interesting storyline and it definitely made me think about my own digital identity and how much information I share at the drop of a hat. Thought provoking and worrying with a cast of characters that rang true and were engaging in spite of the fact that they were difficult to like.
June 22, 2017
I managed to get 100 pages into the book before I gave up. The concept of the story is let down by the misuse of language, specifically the jargon belonging to computer programmers and hackers. I found all the characters unlikeable, even though there wasn't much information about them.
February 6, 2018
I loved the idea behind this story but it was so heavily reliant on jargon to convey most points that the concept lost its meaning. Plus it jumped places from chapter to chapter so I was never sure where I actually was in the story. Awesome concept, poorly executed.
July 9, 2018
I enjoyed this book with great characters twists and turns that keep you on your toes. The short chapters read like emails at times interspersed with text messages which keeps the story moving at a real pace. Overall would recommended and will certainly read more from the author.
July 3, 2019
Found this book very hard to read at times. I loved the premise of the book as we all know how much social media is used these days by trolls and lots of others. Some of the characters were great but i'm sorry just was not the book for me
September 20, 2019
Great read. Action-packed, awesome character writing and scarily relevant. I was a tad disappointed in the ending until I found out that this is just the first book of a series. Off to hunt for the sequel!
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